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PHL TOURISM CHIEF “VERY HOPEFUL” ABOUT INSTITUTION OF ASEAN VISA
The Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) is hopeful that the concept of a visa system applicable to countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN will soon be realized.
Serving as one of the preeminent speakers at the SKIFT Asia Forum 2025 held in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday (May 15), DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that the proposal to have an ASEAN visa similar to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) visa in the Middle East and the Schengen visa in Europe, aligns with ASEAN Tourism’s tagline and is one that she strongly advocates.
“The ASEAN tagline is “A destination for every dream”. And the ASEAN visa certainly is part of that dream. To be able to unify the ASEAN as a destination in terms of the strength of its natural assets, its unparalleled warmth and hospitality as a people, and as a culture. And in terms of the quality of experiences that we are able to offer, is one that is aspirational for us in the Philippines. And as a Minister of Tourism, it is a proposition that I have tried to make at every opportunity. I am glad to hear similar interest from our fellow ASEAN nations, and we are very hopeful that the subject matter will again come up as the Philippines hosts the ASEAN in 2026,” Secretary Frasco said.
When asked whether Southeast Asian countries could move from competition to greater collaboration, Frasco emphasized the value of regional unity while maintaining healthy competition.
“Competition is always very healthy, but collaboration is healthier in a sense that ASEAN coming together to work as a force for good for the world would really benefit all of our countries,” she added.
The tourism chief cited the Philippines’ partnership with Thailand as a strong example of productive collaboration within ASEAN.
“We are grateful for our existing collaborations with countries such as Thailand with whom we have recently signed an implementation program for our Memorandum of Cooperation on tourism, specifically for our “Two Countries, One Destination” effort where we seek to learn from the many positive attributes that Thailand has had in terms of tourism, and we hope to share the strengths of the Philippines, especially in terms of hospitality as well as diversification of tourist products,” the DOT chief shared.
Asked what the Philippines can offer to ASEAN tourists, Frasco pointed to the country’s rich cultural tapestry and unique hospitality.
“What we bring to the table in terms of travel and tourism in the ASEAN is a story—a story of a proud people that is the result of generations of influence. We are a unique destination in that it’s not one-dimensional. You have many influences that have passed through the country, that have resulted in this rich and diverse cultural experience that can only be had in the Philippines. While you’re enjoying the beach, you can enjoy our lechon as a result of the Spanish influence, or taste our Bam-I as a result of the Chinese influence. As you enjoy our Tuba, which is our local alcohol, which is also the result of other influences from other cultures that have come through our country. The end of it all is that you arrive in the Philippines as a guest, but you leave as family. That is the Filipino way, and that is the Philippine Experience that we are able to offer to anyone coming to the Philippines,” enthused the Tourism Chief.
Meanwhile, Secretary Frasco shared that in light of the decline in Chinese visitor arrivals to the Philippines in recent years due to various factors, the DOT has learned to attract other potential sources of tourism for the country.
“The lesson that we learned from that is to really be able to diversify our dependency into other markets as well. And so now, we are targeting markets such as the Middle East and the GCC, as well as India. And of course, to strengthen further our source markets from South Korea, Japan, the United States, as well as Europe,” she said.
The Tourism Chief said the DOT saw growing numbers of tourists from the Middle East and the GCC, particularly coming from expat communities in the region: “Because of our efforts to diversify, we are seeing, for example, from the Middle East and the GCC, an average of no less than 500 to 800% growth rate in terms of international tourism arrivals,” she said.
Secretary Frasco cited the various programs implemented by the DOT to increase the country’s attractiveness as a Halal and Muslim-friendly destination, including the recognition of more accommodation establishments and restaurants, as well as the launch of the Muslim-friendly Marhaba Cove in the world-famous Boracay Island.
She also noted that visitors from Australia and South Korea – among the Philippines’ top sources of tourists – continue to rise in number with connectivity expanding, and with tourists coming to appreciate the country’s tourism products, including diving, golf tourism, as well as beach and adventure.
“The beauty of coming to the Philippines is that it is a very diversified destination. We are able to cater to any type of traveler, whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, a family, and the like. And so, with the number of islands that we have and the readiness of these destinations, then we are excited to welcome people of all nationalities,” she enthused.
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Published:May 18, 2025
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